Kishanganj: Questioning Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's 'growth with justice' model, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi today said Muslims were languishing in jails more than in proportion to their population

Kishanganj: Questioning Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's 'growth with justice' model, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi today said Muslims were languishing in jails more than in proportion to their population in Bihar.

"If I talk about the rights of poor and downtrodden including minorities, I am charged of making an inflammatory speech... In Bihar, there are 17 per cent Muslim population, but 18 per cent Muslims are in jails of the state," Owaisi said asking "Is this your growth with justice?" Owaisi was addressing an election rally at Haldikhaura in Kochadhaman Assembly constituency from where his party's state unit chief Akhtarul Iman is contesting.

Owaisi, whose party has fielded six candidates out of 24 seats in Seemanchal region of the state, said minorities have become a "vote bank puppet" in the hands of politicians in the absence of any credible leadership in the region.

Stating that politicians have neglected the Seemanchal region, the AIMIM leader said so far as development was concerned, the region was 15 years behind other parts of the country and was neglected on every aspect be it education, health or employment opportunities.

Speaking on the occasion, party candidate Iman said both BJP and JD(U) were birds of the same flock.